Bustle



(No Model.)

T. P. TAYLOR.

BUSTLE. I N6. 366,276. 1 6666666661 12, 1887 My/5 5555 /7 x/e/ fa/z PATENT THOMAS P. TAYLOR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,276, dated July 12, 1887.

Application filed April 19, 1387.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridge port, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the class of bustles known as folding bustles, which have gone into general use, having practically driven others from the market, and has for its object to simplify andimprove their construction and their general operation in use. With these ends in view I have devised the simple and novel construction of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, numbers be ing used to indicate the several parts.

Figure l is a perspective of one form of my improved bustlein operative position; Fig. 2, a side elevation in the folded or collapsed position; and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of another form, in which certain'details of construction have been slightly changed.

In mypresent bustlespring-ribs are entirely dispensed with, and the usual folding ribs are attached to afraIne-work, which is constructed to extend below the plane of the lower rib.

1 denotes the upper portion of the frame work-that is, the portion above the point of attachment of the ribs. This upper portion may be made in the form of side pieces, extending to the belt at the sides, as in Fig. 1; or it may be curved and attached to the belt at the center, as in Fig. 3.

2 denotes a rigid cross-brace at the bottom, which may be formed as in Fig. 1, or may be part of an approximately perfect circle, as in Fig. 3, and 3 denotes the ribs, any number of which may be used, and which may be of any preferred shape or material. In the present instance I have shown the lower rib as made of round wire, and the other ribs as flat. These details of construction, however, may of course be varied to suit the taste of the manufacturer or the requirements of the trade.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 I pref- Serial No. 235,157.

(No model.)

crably provide eyes 4 at the tops of the side pieces for convenience in attaching the belt 5 and the connectingstrips 6. I also preferably form eyes 7 in the frame-work at the point of attachment of the'ribs. These eyes are formed for convenience in attaching the ribs, all of which are connected to the eyes 7 at the oppo' site sides and curve over therefrom, forming the supporting portion of the bustle.

8 is an adjustingstrip extending across the bustle between eyes 7, in the usual manner. The belt is eyeleted or otherwise secured to eyes 4,0r to the center of the upper portion of the framework, when made in the form of a circle, as in Fig. 3. The connecting-strips are attached to the lower rib at the center, and extend diagonally to eyes 4, as clearly shown, each of the intermediate ribs being eyeleted or otherwise secured to both of these strips.

The rigid cross-brace 2 is an important feature of my invention, and may be formed in any suitable or preferred manner, the essential feature being that it shall extend downward below the plane of the lower rib sufficiently far to insure that the elastic returning-strip 9 will draw the ribs downward to their normal position after the bustle has been collapsed. This returningstrip is attached to the lower rib at the center, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, extends downward and inward, and is connected to the rigid cross-brace. In the form shown in Fig. 3 the connecting-strips are secured to the upper portion of the frame-work on opposite sides of the center, and strips 10 extend from eyes 7 to the belt, as clearly shown. The action of this bustle in use is similar to that of other bustles of this general class.

When the wearer sits down, all'of the ribs fold or collapse upward, as shown in Fig. 2. The instant that the wearer rises, the elastic returning-strip acts to draw the lower rib and with it the intermediate ribs to their normal posi invention.

I claim 1. A bustle consisting of a frame-work, ribs connected thereto and to each other, a rigid combination with strips 6, connecting said ribs Witnesses:

cross-brace below the plane of the lower rib, and an elastic returning strip connected to said lower rib and to the crossbrace.

2. In a bustle, a frame-work made approximately in the form of a circle, and having eyes 7, and ribs loosely connected to said eyes, in

to the lower portion of the frame-work.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS I. TAYLOR.

to each other and to the frame-work, strips 10; A. M. \VOOSTER, connecting eyes 7 with the belt, and an elastic C. E. RU GLEs.

returning-strip connected to the lower rib and o 

